The present invention relates to digital data processing, and more particularly to tabular data sorting and display.
Current systems provide numerous ways for a user to request the sorting of a table of data that is displayed to the user through a graphical user interface display. One common technique allows the user to click on the header of a column of data to request that the data be sorted using that column as the sort key in a default direction, i.e., either ascending or descending. Commonly, if the user clicks on the same header without having selected another sorting action, the sort direction is reversed. Other common techniques allow the user to select one or more columns, order them, and specify how each is to be sorted, e.g., in what direction and as text or numbers, through use of a user interface window with radio buttons, pull-down menus or the like.